Heel protector



Jan- 31, 1933- c. J. FRICKER 1,895,598

HEEL PROTECTOR Original Filed June 15, 1928 CARLJTQHN Fmcnsrz INVENTOR 14 ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATLENT OFFICE I CARL JOHN FRIOKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 0F THIRTY J3EE CENT TO GEORGE E. CALLAGHAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND TEN PER CENT TO DAVID PELTON MOORE,

0F AVON PARK, FLORIDA HEEL PROTECTOR Application filed June 15, 1928, Serial No. 285,570. Renewed September 21, 1932.

My invention relates to a shoe and hosiery protector or shield to be worn at the back of the heel and has reference particularly to a device of this character which is either de: tachably carried on the heel of the wearers shoe or is constructed as a permanent part of an overshoe and arranged to be foldedoutwardly into posit-ion to afford protection whenever the necessity arises.

The invention has for on of its objects to provide a small article which may be conveniently carried in a pocket book or other small receptacle and which is readily attached to the heel of a shoe or slipper when there is danger of soiling the shoe and h0- siery from mud and water kicked up by the heels during walking.

A further object of the present invention is to embody a protector of the character hereinafter described directly into the construction of the heel portion of an overshoe, so as to be folded out of the rear of the heel when in use and returned to its position against the heel when not in use.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a substantially crescent shaped piece of pliable material adapted to be detachably affixed to, or an integral part of its supporting element, which is provided with an arced line depressed into the outer surface of the material along which the upper portion of the material may be turned back upon the lower portion to form. an overhanging guard.

I accomplish the foregoing objects by means of the embodiments of my invention, illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved detachable protector in position on the heel of a womans slipper; Figure 2, is a plan view of the same protector or shield removed from the heel and Figure-3 is a plan view of the shield be fore being provided with fastening means to hold it on the heel. Figure 4 is a sectional view of a shield having a slightly modified construction showing particularly the arced line along which the protector is folded back upon itself to form a guard; Figure 5 is another embodiment of my invention showing a protector or shield built into the heel portion of a mans overshoe; and Figure 6 is a perspective View of the shield embodied in the heel structure of a womans overshoe.

Referring to the drawing, 10 denotes the protector illustrated particularly in Figures 1 to 4, comprising a crescent shaped shield, preferably a pliable rubberized fabric, the shorter curve thereof being the lower side, while the longer curve forms the outer side of the protector. Intermediate the height of the shield 10 and extending along a curve which is longer than that of the lower side and substantially shorter than the outer side, is a depression or groove 11 disposed in the outer face of the material. The ends of the shield are permanently attached respectively to the opposite ends of an elastic strip or tape 12, so that the opposite ends of the shorter side are brought closely together, as illustrated in Figure 2 and the body of the material is flared upwardly and outwardly,

as a consequence.

As previously stated, it is intended that the protector beapplied t0 the heel 13 of a shoe 1-4, as illustrated in Figure 1, in which case the shorter edge is disposed closely adjacent to and parallel with the tread of the heel 13 around the back portion thereof, and the elastic strip 12, is stretched over the front of the heel. Normally the shield projects upwardly and hugs the surface of the back of the heel 13, but when it becomes necessary to provide protection against mud being raised at each step, the portion of the shield between the longer side and groove 11 is turned outwardly and downwardly upon the lower portion to provide an overhanging hood or guard 15 under which the mud and water, thrown up during walking, is collected and arrested from further projection in the direction of the hosiery and back of the shoe. According to the modification of the shield 10 illustrated in Figure 4, the lower portion thereof, below the curved line of the fold, is of greater thickness than the-upper portionwhich is, as in the first instance adapted to be folded outwardly and downwardly to form the guard portion.

In Figures 5 and 6, I have illustrated the guard or shield embodied in the structure of an overshoe 16. Figure 5 illustrates a mans overshoe in which the back 17 of the covering embraces not only the back or counter of the shoe, but also the heel too. Accordingly an arced groove 11 is formed in the rear face of the overshoe and the material thereof proi'ecting above the groove ll is split in two ayers, the inner layer thereof being the back 17 of the overshoe, and the outer layer 18 being crescent shaped. The lower curved side of the layer 18 is defined by the groove 11 and the upper edge is formed by an arced out, the ends starting at the opposite ends of the groove, and projecting in a curved line to the top of the overshoe directly in the rear thereof. The shield 18, in use, is merely folded outwardly and downwardly along the groove 11 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 5. When not in use the shield is straightened out and allowed to unfold into its initial position i. e. in the crescent shaped depression 19 and against the rear portion 17 of the overshoe.

Due to the difference in design of a womans overshoe over that of the mans overshoe, a shield 20 of crescent shape is mounted in the protruding shoe or slipper heel receiving portion 21 of the overshoe, as illustrated in Figure 6 and is folded intoand out of the crescent shaped depression 22 formed therein so that the shield is at all times below the lower edge of the main heel portion of the overshoe.

The particular advantage of the present invention, whether in the form shown in igure 1 or in embodiments illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, is in the arrangement whereby when not in use, as a protector, the shield is held tightly against the heel below the rear portion of the overshoe. It might be mentioned in addition that a shield constructed and applied as just described has the distinct advantage that the outer free side of the guard is in very close proximity with the ground and any mud or water picked up in .walking is immediately arrested, so that there is practically no chance of dirt reaching and soiling any part of the wearers garments.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An overshoe having a crescent shaped cavity in the rear wall thereof overlying the back of the shoe, and a crescent shaped shield portion integral along its shorter side with the rear wall -along the integral connection being grooved to form a line over which the shield is folded back upon the rear wall to form an overhanging guard.

3. A ladys overshoe having an enlarged shoe heel receiving portion, and a crescent shaped shield carried by the heel portion only and below the shoe proper and along an arched line and capable of being folded back along said arched line to form an overhanging hood beyond the rear of the heel.

4. A ladys overshoe having an enlarged protruding shoe heel receiving portion and a mud guard, said guard consisting of a piece of flexible substantially crescent shaped material attached to the exterior of the shoe heel receiving portion below the overshoe proper and along an arched line, whereby the guard may assume a position against and in conformity to the exterior receiving portion of the heel of the overshoe or be deflected with the attaching edge the base to form a rearwardly and downwardly projecting overhanging guard entirely below the rear body portion of the overshoe.

5. The combination with a ladys overshoe having a protruding heel portion, of a mud guard consisting of a piece of thin flexible water-proof material crescent shaped in plan and having its shorter arched edge attached only to the heel receiving portion of the overshoe, the tension of the material along the arched line being such that the guard is held closely against the exterior of the heel portion only of the overshoe or extended rearwardly and downwardly to form a scooped shaped mud guard.

6. A ladys overshoe having a protruding shoe heel receiving portion, and a collapsible mud guard bodily carried by said heel receiving portion, and in which the rear of the shoe heel receiving portion is provided with a depression to receive the guard when not in use.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CARL JOHN FRICKER.

the corresponding side of the cavity and capable of being folded outwardly and back I upon the rear wall to form an overhanging guard. 2. An overshoe having a crescent shaped cavity in the outer face of the rear wall, and a correspondingly shaped shield integral along its shorter side with the corresponding side of the cavity and capable of being folded back upon itself, the outer surface of 

